Rafael Nadal explains why he did not want a farewell tour and explained why he chose to retire from tennis.
In October the 38-year-old made the difficult decision to announce when he will hang up his racket after a glittering career spanning more than two decades.
The Spaniard has played sparingly over the past two years due to injuries and though he returned to action in 2024, Nadal struggled to rediscover his best form.
Therefore, he has decided to bid farewell from the game in the fitting environment of the Davis Cup finals, on home soil and surrounded by his Spanish teammates.
Why has Rafael Nadal chosen to retire from tennis?
Rafael Nadal admitted in 2023 that 2024 could be his final year as a professional player.
Now Nadal has confirmed the decision to retire, just one more tournament remains in his illustrious career, and it is an event he has won five times in the past.
Some players, as seen in several sports, announce their retirement far in advance and are given a goodbye at each tournament they compete in before the final farewell.
This is something Nadal had no desire for, and explained why ahead of the Davis Cup finals, while also disclosing why he has chosen to retire now.
“I mean, with the surgery last year, and I don’t gonna add the rest of the things that I had, but a few ones, make me feel that I cannot be enough competitive, and I am not able to enjoy my daily basis the way that I need to be competitive at the highest level, no?,” Nadal told reporters at a press conference.
“So at the end of the day, all I can relate to the question of myself is about, OK, I can hold on for one more year, but why? To say goodbye in every single tournament, I don’t have that ego to need that.”
Will Rafael Nadal play singles at the Davis Cup?
Nadal has been in Malaga for several days preparing for the last tournament of his iconic career.
He has looked sharp in the footage posted online and has practiced with the likes of his teammates Carlos Alcaraz and Australia’s Alex de Minaur.
Nadal looks set to play in Spain’s first round against the Netherlands, but it is unknown if he will play singles. When asked about it, Nadal did provide a definitive answer.
“I mean, that’s a question for the captain, not for me,” Nadal smiled. “Well, I just tried to work as hard as possible the last month and a half, then here, just trying to do my best every single day.
“Of course when you are not competing very often, it’s a little bit more, you know, difficult to hold the level on a constant basis, but have good moments, more difficult moments. I think the improvement is there every day, but, I mean, we have a great team in Spain.
“So the thing is all these players on the tour are playing very well, having great seasons. Then it’s for the captain to decide what he feels it’s better for the team.”
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